Casey Cattell and Dr. Ginger Breedlove, co-authers of Nobody Told Me About That: Surviving and Thriving the Early Weeks of Parenting, join me on this episode to discuss the newly released 2nd Edition of their book, as well as navigating life after birth trauma. Their 2nd Edition brings realistic examples and insight from experts. Casey and Ginger share some of their highlighted topics and the importance of advocating for yourself, your family, and your community - in that order.

On this episode, you will hear:

-The difference in maternal health care between America and other nations.
-Casey's maternal near miss story including Bilateral Pulmonary Emboli and PPH.
- Ginger's traumatic breastfeeding story, including how it resurfaced during her daughter-in-law's postpartum experience.
-The common experience of shame and denial in asking for medical help.
-The little things providers can do that play a big role in the trajectory of healing.
-Highlighted topics in the 2nd Edition: bringing baby home to pets, navigating balance, and finding your postpartum voice.
-Covid isolation and the impact it has on postpartum recovery.
-Becoming an advocate in the birth trauma and maternal near-miss space.

You can find Ginger Breedlove's book Nobody Told Me About That: Surviving and Thriving the Early Weeks of Parenting  on Amazon available in hardcover, paperback, and on Kindle.
https://www.amazon.com/Nobody-Told-About-That-Surviving/dp/B0C5G9L57H/ref=sr_1_1?crid=22OACU18EO67F&keywords=early+parenting+ginger&qid=1687293275&sprefix=early+parenting+ginger%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-1

Guest Bios:

Dr. Breedlove is a past president of the American College of Nurse-Midwives and has led many national initiatives to address and improve perinatal health in the United States. In 2017 she formed a consulting company Grow Midwives LLC that has expanded to include GM Billing & Recovery Services. She is a widely published author in numerous journals and publications, national speaker, and has received over $5 million dollars as principal investigator in grant-funded projects related to health care for women. In 2017 she co-founded March for Moms with Dr. Neel Shah, serving as President six years. In 2018 Dr. Breedlove edited and launched a best-selling book for new parents titled, Nobody Told Me About That! The 2nd Ed., newly titled, Nobody Told Me About That, Surviving and Thriving Through the Early Weeks of Parenting was published in April 2023. 

Casey Cattell is a biochemist who shifted into freelance patient advocacy after surviving two near-misses related to her first pregnancy. She has worked alongside many organizations such as ACOG, AWHONN and serves as a member of her state’s Perinatal Quality Collaborative in addition to working alongside her local hospital. She has shared her story with many publications, including ProPublica, The New York Times and was featured on the Empowered Health Podcast. Casey facilitates an online peer

For more birth trauma content and a community full of love and support, head to my Instagram at @thebirthtrauma_mama.

Learn more about the support and services I offer through The Birth Trauma Mama Therapy & Support Services.

Disclaimer - The views and opinions expressed by guests on The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official stance, views, or positions of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast. The content shared is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional or medical advice and/or endorsement.

Dr. Vibha Mahendra, a board-certified Obstetric Anesthesiologist, joins me on this episode to discuss anesthesia options during labor and delivery and why they are sometimes ineffective, potentially leading to trauma for the patient. Dr. M also provides insight into how providers can problem-solve these pain relief issues and communicate with patients in a way that mitigates trauma. This was such an insightful conversation and I think does a great job educating the patient in a way that puts them in a better position to advocate or communicate with their support people to advocate for pain relief. 

On this episode, you will hear:

-What is OB Anesthesia?
-What’s in an epidural?
-Differences between a spinal block and an epidural
- Why are some epidurals ineffective?
- What happens when there is an ineffective spinal during a c-section?
- The decision to convert to general anesthesia and why some doctors delay
- Is it necessary to be restrained during c-section?

Guest Bio:

Vibha Mahendra, MD is a board-certified Obstetric Anesthesiologist, public health advocate, educator, and founder of SafePartum. Dr. Mahendra is passionate about improving maternal care by directly engaging and empowering all healthcare providers who care for pregnant patients, in a way that aligns with their practice environment and profession. Her professional interests span all of high-risk pregnancy, but she especially loves Obstetric Critical Care and Cardio-Obstetrics! 

Visit https://www.safepartum.com/academy for more resources on the management of high-risk conditions in pregnancy, labor & delivery, and postpartum.

Safe Partum also has an upcoming OB Critical Care &  Emergencies Course!
Here is a link to the registration page to learn more about and sign up for this incredible course coming in September.  https://fun-acorn-864.myflodesk.com/

For more birth trauma content and a community full of love and support, head to my Instagram at @thebirthtrauma_mama.

Learn more about the support and services I offer through The Birth Trauma Mama Therapy & Support Services.

Disclaimer - The views and opinions expressed by guests on The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official stance, views, or positions of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast. The content shared is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional or medical advice and/or endorsement.

Dr. Christine Noa Sterling joins me to share her unique story of birth trauma as both a survivor and physician. Dr. Sterling's story helps us understand that no matter who you are and how educated and prepared you are for birth, trauma can still happen, and it's not your fault. Dr. Sterling generously shares all three of her very different birth experiences, perfectly depicting not only the wide-ranging birth experiences but also their impacts. 

You can find Dr. Sterling on Instagram @drsterlingobgyn and Tik Tok @drsterlingobgyn

Guest Bio:
Dr. Christine Noa Sterling is a board-certified ObGyn, mom-of-three and founder of Sterling Parents, a membership that acts as one-stop-shop to get your pregnancy questions answered, prepare for postpartum, birth, breastfeeding and taking care of your baby, all while centering your own wellness and cultivating your unique parenting style.

For more birth trauma content and a community full of love and support, head to my Instagram at @thebirthtrauma_mama.

Learn more about the support and services I offer through The Birth Trauma Mama Therapy & Support Services.

Disclaimer - The views and opinions expressed by guests on The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official stance, views, or positions of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast. The content shared is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional or medical advice and/or endorsement.

Kate McReynolds, licensed therapist, joins me to discuss her own experience with birth trauma, particularly related to feelings of invalidation and self-blame.  Kate explains her journey of working through the feelings that her birth trauma wasn't "bad" or "scary" enough to count as trauma. She also discusses the challenge of navigating invalidation from external sources, but also from herself.

In this episode, you will hear:
- Kate's story of birth trauma
- Feeling ignored in birth
- Lack of consent and commentary related to sexual assault
- Invalidation after birth trauma
- Planning for a subsequent birth (vbac)
- Kate's story of a healing subsequent birth
 

You can find Kate on Instagram @the.mom.therapist or at her website.

Guest Bio:

Kate is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a mom of two. She is Perinatal Mental Health-Certified, specializing in therapy for prenatal and postpartum support, birth trauma, pregnancy loss, PMADs (Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders), and general maternal wellness.

For more birth trauma content and a community full of love and support, head to my Instagram at @thebirthtrauma_mama.

Learn more about the support and services I offer through The Birth Trauma Mama Therapy & Support Services.

Disclaimer - The views and opinions expressed by guests on The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official stance, views, or positions of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast. The content shared is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional or medical advice and/or endorsement.

Bethany Warren, LCSW joins me to talk attachment and the impact on birth trauma as well as a million other birth trauma topics, because when you get two perinatal trauma therapists talking, it becomes impossible to hold our conversation to just one subject. Join us to learn more about the impact of birth trauma and the common struggles we see among birth trauma survivors. 

You can find Beth on Instagram @bethanywarrenlcsw or her website.

If you're interested in Beth's book, you can find it here! 

In this episode, you will hear:
- The subjective nature of birth trauma
- The constant invalidation of birth trauma (even from therapists)
- Survivors guilt after birth trauma
- Attachment and birth trauma 
- Privileges in healing


Guest Bio:

Bethany Warren is a psychotherapist in private practice in San Diego, California and has worked in reproductive mental health for 25 years. She is certified in EMDR therapy and Perinatal Mental Health, specializing in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, birth and reproductive trauma, pregnancy loss, and infertility. Beth is also an EMDRIA approved consultant and facilitates EMDR trainings for EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP). Beth is a current member and previously served as the President of the Board of the Postpartum Health Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting awareness of Perinatal Mental Health and accessibility of quality mental healthcare for all parents. She is passionate about spreading awareness about mental health treatment and prevention and is regularly featured on podcasts and gives trainings on perinatal mental health and trauma. Her book, The Pregnancy and Postpartum Mood Workbook, was released in 2021, and her 2 nd book, on reproductive trauma, is due out in the latter part of 2023.

For more birth trauma content and a community full of love and support, head to my Instagram at @thebirthtrauma_mama.

Learn more about the support and services I offer through The Birth Trauma Mama Therapy & Support Services.

Disclaimer - The views and opinions expressed by guests on The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official stance, views, or positions of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast. The content shared is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional or medical advice and/or endorsement.

Jenna Overbaugh, LPC joins me to discuss all things OCD. She shares her personal experience with postpartum OCD along with her wealth of knowledge as a licensed therapist working with people who have OCD & Anxiety for 15 years. This episode is your guide to better understanding the inner process of OCD and how to get support. 

In this episode you'll hear:
- Similarities and differences between anxiety and OCD
- Jenna’s experience with PP OCD
- Postpartum OCD vs. intrusive thoughts
- Mental v. Physical compulsions 
- Evidence-based treatments for OCD 
- Why is talk therapy harmful for OCD?

Find Jenna on Instagram @jenna.overbaugh
Find Jenna's website here. 

Guest Bio:

Jenna Overbaugh is a licensed professional counselor based in Wisconsin and has been working with people who have OCD and anxiety since 2008. Previously, she worked at world renowned facilities including Johns Hopkins Hospital and Rogers Memorial Hospital, where she treated some of the most debilitating cases of OCD and anxiety in the world.  She has contributed to several peer reviewed literature articles as well as spoken at national conferences on OCD, anxiety, hoarding, and related issues.  She’s also mom to a 5 year old and has lived experience with postpartum OCD, anxiety, and depression.  

For more birth trauma content and a community full of love and support, head to my Instagram at @thebirthtrauma_mama.

Learn more about the support and services I offer through The Birth Trauma Mama Therapy & Support Services.

Disclaimer - The views and opinions expressed by guests on The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official stance, views, or positions of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast. The content shared is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional or medical advice and/or endorsement.

Join me as I welcome Jess Myhre to talk about the choice (or sometimes not) to be one and done, particularly after birth trauma. Jess has been a pioneer in the discussion and support of families with only children, regardless of the reason. She fiercely advocates and validates for these families in her beautiful space @onlyyoucommunity.

On this episode, Jess shares her story of birth trauma along with hope and encouragement for those who are one and done through choice, trauma, or for any reason at all.

You can learn more about the Birth Trauma & Secondary Infertility Webinar here.

Guest Bio: 

Hi I’m Jess! I am a preeclampsia survivor, mom of an only child, and advocate for parents of one, by choice or by circumstance. I am also the creator of Only You: A One and Done Podcast, a show for parents of only children.

For more birth trauma content and a community full of love and support, head to my Instagram at @thebirthtrauma_mama.

Learn more about the support and services I offer through The Birth Trauma Mama Therapy & Support Services.

Disclaimer - The views and opinions expressed by guests on The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official stance, views, or positions of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast. The content shared is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional or medical advice and/or endorsement.

MaryJane joins me to discuss the option of surrogacy after birth trauma and the hope it provided for her and her family after the loss of their son Luca. 

In this episode you’ll hear:

• MJ’s story
• Choosing an agency or independent surrogacy journey
• The potential costs of Surrogacy 
• Emotions that go into the choice for surrogacy 
• How to start a surrogacy journey

You can find MaryJane on Instagram at @thebiggestask

Guest Bio:
MaryJane is the creator of The Biggest Ask, a surrogacy community dedicated to spreading education and awareness about surrogacy in the USA. The Biggest Ask recently released their app (available on iOS and soon to be available on Android) that helps surrogates and intended parents coordinate surrogacy appointments and bond by answering daily, fun questions about themselves. Outside of The Biggest Ask, MaryJane works as a business professor at a university located in Saint Louis. 

For more birth trauma content and a community full of love and support, head to my Instagram at @thebirthtrauma_mama.

Learn more about the support and services I offer through The Birth Trauma Mama Therapy & Support Services.

Disclaimer - The views and opinions expressed by guests on The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official stance, views, or positions of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast. The content shared is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional or medical advice and/or endorsement.

Shelley Kemmerer, PA-C joins me to talk about the massive overlap between burnout and trauma. So many parents are dealing with burnout and when we add trauma and trauma recovery to that mix, it seems to just be adding kerosine to the fire, not to mention 3 years of a pandemic, increasing financial stress, lack of parental leave, and constantly worrying if your kid will return home from school. Join us to talk about the intersection of burnout and birth trauma and how we can cope.

You can find Shelley on Instagram at @runtellmom

Guest Bio:

Shelley Kemmerer PA-C, MCHS. Shelley is a parent, Board Certified Physician Assistant, and Founder of Run Tell Mom LLC. She received her post-graduate certification from The Training Institute of Parental Burnout, an institute developed by the pioneers of parental burnout research, Profs. Isabelle Roskam and Moira Mikolajczak. She is a Certified Facilitator of Eve Rodsky's "Fair Play Method" and regularly collaborates with other parental mental health advocates in order to increase burnout awareness in both personal & professional atmospheres. She promotes both household equity and burnout prevention as two integral components of family planning. She also provides a social media platform specifically focused on parent & caregiver wellbeing advocacy and will be a guest speaker at Postpartum Support International's annual conference this summer. Her burnout prevention resources e-workbook will be available this Spring of 2023. 

For more birth trauma content and a community full of love and support, head to my Instagram at @thebirthtrauma_mama.

Learn more about the support and services I offer through The Birth Trauma Mama Therapy & Support Services.

Disclaimer - The views and opinions expressed by guests on The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official stance, views, or positions of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast. The content shared is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional or medical advice and/or endorsement.

Amanda Griffith-Atkins, LMFT joins me to share her story of navigating parenting a child with a disability after birth trauma. Amanda is a fellow therapist and has built an incredible community in this space to support other parents experiencing the challenges that come with disability parenting.  She has a beautiful way of creating space to acknowledge the struggle and the darkness, while still providing hope. Join us as we discuss the complexities of parenting children with disabilities, while also trying to recover from a traumatic experience.

You can find Amanda on Instagram @amanda.griffith.atkins or her website.


Guest Bio:

Amanda is a licensed marriage and family therapist and founder of Amanda Atkins Counseling Group in Chicago. Her specialties include couple's issues, grief and loss (particularly partner, parent, or child loss), chronic or terminal illness, infertility, and postpartum mood disorders. She enjoys treating issues related to parenting, including the complex demands placed on parents of disabled children. Due to her extensive experience in grief work, she's partnered with large corporations to provide on-site therapy amid workplace crises and tragedy. She's also worked with nonprofits and corporations, presenting on mental health issues in the workplace.

Before founding AACG in 2015, Amanda worked in community mental health, a group practice, and Hospice.

Amanda holds a master's degree from Northwestern University and is trained in EMDR and EFT. She has advanced training in postpartum issues and is certified in perinatal mental health.  She is an in-demand speaker and media contributor, featured in the Chicago Tribune, Crain's Chicago, Better, Chicago Parent, POPSUGAR and more.  Amanda lives with her husband, 3 sons, beloved dog, and 2 mediocre cats.  Her oldest son Asher has Prader-Willi Syndrome. 

For more birth trauma content and a community full of love and support, head to my Instagram at @thebirthtrauma_mama.

Learn more about the support and services I offer through The Birth Trauma Mama Therapy & Support Services.

Disclaimer - The views and opinions expressed by guests on The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official stance, views, or positions of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast. The content shared is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional or medical advice and/or endorsement.